


Should I stay or should I go?

by eventyyr



Category: Riverdale (TV 2017)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - College/University, F/M, Fluff, Friends to Lovers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-09-24
Updated: 2017-09-24
Packaged: 2019-01-04 23:16:54
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,405
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12178428
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/eventyyr/pseuds/eventyyr
Summary: College AU//Betty misses her bus and gets caught in a rainstorm, luckily a certain friend saves the day.//Mentions of selfharm and mental health issues//





	Should I stay or should I go?

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first ever fic!
> 
> This has been in the progress for quite a while and I'm so excited to finally share it!
> 
> This is un-beta'd so all mistakes are mine, my apologies.
> 
> Quick shoutout to everyone who has been cheering me on<3
> 
> I guess there is nothing left to say than, enjoy!
> 
> PS. the mentions of mental health issues are taken from own experience, but I have a hard time vocalizing them. I hope I did it some kind of justice.

“Hello. You have reached Alice Cooper. I’m not available at your service at the moment. But leave your name and I will return your call”

“Beep—“ The phone rang out.

“Hi mom.. It’s me. I didn’t make the bus on time...” the feminine voice rang out in a hushed sound to the deserted street.

“The next will arrive in 5 hours” she said while looking down at her watch.

The time read 5:34 pm. It was late November so the darkness of the night was already upon the small town.

 

Betty Cooper was headed home for the weekend. She would rather go home than stay at campus in her dorm with her roommate and her new boyfriend. She had practically run from her last class to catch the bus that drove her about 4 miles out of the University, where she was supposed to catch another bus that would bring her to her home town, Riverdale, in approximately 9 hours.

She had considered both taking a plane and driving, but decided at last on the easiest option.

 

“I’ll will figure out what to do and call you back” she said and ended the phone call.

The teenager lowered herself to sit on the bench at the bus stop which luckily was roofed sheltering her from the pouring rain.

Betty laid her bag beside her on the empty seat and exhaled deeply.

 

She sat for a while glancing at the falling drops coming from above, landing on the pitchy asphalt, covering the never-ending road, surrounded by tall slim trees and a few streetlights.

The only sound filling the otherwise silence was rain drops drumming against every available surface.

Betty was seated in deep thought, eyes printed on her soaked shoes, contemplating her options when a pair of combat boots came into her confined view. Her gaze followed up the denim wrapped legs attached to the leather boots.

Further up, passing a flannel tied around the waist of the individual located a few feet from herself.

Tucked over a grey t-shirt and some broad shoulders was a Sherpa jacket.

_You have got to be kidding me_ was the only thought running through her head.

 

Although having already identified the not-so-stranger, her eyes kept wandering up the olive-toned features, taking notice in the dark wavy hair accompanied by the prominent grey beanie completing the outfit.

_Seriously?_ A voice rang in her head. _Him? Out of every other person, of course it had to be him._

 

Betty sighed, eyes peering into the ocean blue pair across from her.

“Betty Cooper” the boy started.

“May I ask what you are doing in the middle of Pennsylvania at a vacant bus stop during a rainstorm” he continued with a small nervous laugh and dug his hands even deeper into his pockets.

_Well, it wasn’t because I was planning on getting caught in a rainstorm after missing my bus she almost spat out with an annoyed tone_ but checked herself and just answered “Jughead Jones” she said “well, I missed my bus”.

 

She wrapped her arms around her slender body, the wind rising and howling through the tree tops taking withered leaves with it, leaving the boughs naked.

The young girl’s mind kept playing their awkward encounter last week on replay.

_He probably doesn’t even like me anymore. He probably thinks I’m a spoiled brat, and that I’m a cold fake friend. Argh, I hate this. Why did I even end up in this situation in the first place? Can he see I’m nervous? Now he thinks I’m even crazier than before._

_Okay Betty… take a deep breath._

She did so.

 

Betty had always considered herself a nice person, but she couldn’t help letting the dull thoughts fill her mind, and anxiety take over.

The pair stood for a while in awkward silence, both not knowing really how to approach the other.

 

Betty felt her fingers slowly curling into a fist causing her ivory fingernails to break the already wounded crescent scars in both palms. A terrible habit, Betty knew. But a way to cope and release her always haunting anxiety.

 

Betty, who’s eyes again where back on the ground, looked up at the sound of the voice of the beanie-wearing boy.

“Do you want to come back to my apartment and warm up? You look like you’re freezing”.

Betty could tell he was just as nervous and uncomfortable in this situation as she.

 

And he was. That exact sentence had been playing in his head for the last 30 min (or so it felt like) trying to rephrase it, without sounding like some sort of creep.

Sure, they had known each other since pre-school.

But as they got in college their once blooming friendship had started fading slowly.

And then again, last week’s encounter didn’t exactly shine light on the already awkward conversation.

 

_I’ve crossed the line. It was wrong of me to ask her. I should never have asked her._

The thoughts raced through his head, but were broken as the silence broke too.

 

“I don’t know. I was thinking about just walking back to my dorm, and return when the next bus arrives” she practically whispered.

 

_Was that relieve I saw in his gaze?_

 

“Betts, come on. Are you really considering walking 4 miles in this weather? You’re dripping from the rain and your clothes are completely soaked” he let out with a chuckle.

She looked down at her clothes and brought a hand to her hair. She hadn’t realized her blonde locks where _that_ wet, along with her clothes.

“Please” the teenage boy begged with a shy smile.

 

_I really shouldn’t be doing this. Would it be rude to say no? Would it sound too eager if I said yes?_

 

Jughead lived in an apartment with the duo’s other best friend, besides Betty’s roommate, creating a cliché core four.

Though it had been kind of drought in the quartet hanging out (after the remaining two started their, not-so-secret relationship) they had all four been best friends since sophomore year in high school.

While Jughead lived a few miles outside of campus (reasoned cheaper rent), Betty lived in a dorm only a few minutes’ walk from her classes.

 

After a moment of hesitation shifting from one foot to another the blonde answered “Okay. Fine”.

Jughead saw a small smile crest on her lips and felt one on his own short after.

 

Betty reached for her bag next to her and when she finally stood up, Jughead had slipped off his jacket and placed it on her shoulders.

Betty gave him an appreciative smile in return as they started walking towards the boy’s residence.

 

As they walked home calmly in the cold, depressing atmosphere they both kept quiet, letting only the sound of the rain consume them.

But if only their thoughts could speak up they would be able to hear each other engrossed in deep speculation about the previous rendezvous.

 

When they reached, the apartment complex they were both shivering and drenched.

They stood in silence for a few seconds, though it felt like hours.

 

“Are you going to let us in or?..” Betty approached with a joking smile playing on her peachy lips.

“Well, my keys are in my jacket pocket” he answered pointing to the worn Carolina blue jacket draped on her bare shoulders.

“Oops, I’m sorry” she stated looking down trying to hide her blushing cheeks.

 

_How can I be that stupid? Obviously, he was waiting for me. I’m so slow._

 

She dug out the keys and handed them to him and stepped back so he was able to unlock the door.

They stepped in over a frayed doormat stepping into the narrow hallway.

Jughead closed the door behind them and slit off his jacket, now on her shoulders, retrieving it on the hangers opposite of the dark wooden door.

They stepped out of their shoes, slowly entering the combined living room and kitchen.

Betty looked around the small, but nice room. It was more tidy than she would have imagined considering that two teen boys lived there.

She took in her surroundings. In the middle of the room was a grandma floral patterned couch, not really her first guess of choice, and in front of that a TV standing on a small table against a big window facing the parking lot in-front-of the apartment complex.

As she went further into the room she saw a small round dining table with three cheap-looking chairs placed around it.

The kitchen consisted of a few sage green cupboards coupled with a matching kitchen table, a small fridge and a clearly idle stove. The whole thing lit by an orange ceiling lamp emitting dim yellow light.

The walls of the space were a faded dusty mustard yellow color, almost beige. They we’re covered by a few band posters, but mostly bare.

It was cozy, Betty had to concede that. But from a high school jock and a dark brooding loner, this wasn’t what she expected.

 

“Okay, down the hall to the left is the bathroom where you can take a shower. My room is to the right, in the top drawer you’ll find sweatpants and a sweatshirt. Take all the time you need”.

Betty jumped in shock, having forgotten Jughead standing next to her.

“Thank you, for everything” she said, and the second after she was already heading into the bathroom.

 

_What have I done? Was this another screw up?_

He stood for a bit deliberating before turning 180 degrees heading into the small kitchen.

 

 

Betty stripped out of her clothes and hung it against the rusty old radiator.

She brought her hands up to her hair releasing it from the tight hairband holding together the perfect always-present ponytail.

 

Perfect. She hated that word. The word that had haunted her since she started pre-school.

“Elizabeth, you need to keep count on the calories”, “Elizabeth, get inside before you get dirt on your shoes”, “Elizabeth you know a B+ never is enough if you want a good education”, “Elizabeth, you need to be student councilor so you can get extra credit”, “Elizabeth, why can’t you be more like your big sister Polly?”, “Elizabeth, do not disappoint!”. Her mother’s words paced through her head, only building up her anxiety more.

 

As she ran her hand through her hair she stepped into the shower, feet getting cold by the tile, and turned on the pouring water.

She stood without moving, just letting the water clear her mind and getting lost in the sea surrounding her.

 

 

Jughead was in the middle of boiling water using a teakettle.

It took a bit of figuring out, but he had finally managed to get it to work.

 

He was leaning against the kitchen table, consumed by his own thoughts.

 

L _ast week. Him, Betty and the local diner in town, identical to the one in their hometown. Veronica and Archie had just left their lunch, and him and Betty were slowly ending their conversation, preparing to head out too._

_Sitting next to each other in the worn red leather booth, overlit by neon signs on the walls, the loner weirdo had leaned in to peck the perfect girl next doors always-smiling lips. And although it lasted a half second, the warmth from her lips filled his entire body. He caught her by surprise, and as soon as she had realized what went down a few seconds prior she was out the door before he had the chance to blink._

_So, there he was, even more loner than before, sitting in an empty diner._

 

His thoughts were soon broken by the howling sound coming from the kettle, signaling the water being done boiling.

He brought out two coffee mugs, a housewarming gift from Fred, Archie’s dad, from the top cabinet.

He placed two classic earl gray tea bags in each and poured the steaming water on top.

 

Betty opened the shower door, and steam spread out taking up the whole room and covering the mirror in a layer of dew.

She grabbed a towel from the folded pile on the shelf and tucked it around her slender, pale, nude body.

She grabbed her hair tie and threw her damped hair up in a messy low bun.

She quickly glanced at herself in the mirror, but looked away before her anxiety filled her mind with destructive thoughts making her want to cause her palms more harm.

 

Her head popped out from the bathroom door glancing down the hallway, finding Jughead in the middle of pouring hot water into what looked to be New York Giants mugs judging by the blue, white and red colors.

As the boy didn’t notice her, she tiptoed into the room across the hallway.

 

It was small and dark, only filled with a few pieces of furniture.

That being a mattress on the floor, an empty bedside table, and window with the blinds almost shot, allowing only a tiny amount of daylight entering the otherwise dull room.

There was also placed a small dresser made of chestnut-like wood. On top of it was a small silver frame with a picture of Jughead and his sister, Jellybean taken about eight years prior.

Betty knew how much he loved his sister, and couldn’t help but smile at the thought of him having a picture of her framed.

 

The clean girl opened the top drawer as instructed and pulled out a pair of sweats and a hoodie.

They smelled like him; like tobacco, coffee and dried fir. Sniffing in the smell of him she put on the clothes, though a few sizes too big, and went into the hallway again.

 

Slowly approaching her host, she couldn’t help but to stop up at the vision in front of her.

Her childhood friend scrambling through every cupboard trying to find whatever he needed.

It was a vision sent from the powers above.

His pouting mouth and frustrated frown.

Admiring his turquoise blue eyes.

Before she could stop it, a loud giggle escaped her lips and the corners of her mouth were reaching her ears.

 

_Should I stay or should I go?.. I can’t leave now, can I_?

 

“Hey!” the frowning boy blurted, “what are you laughing at” he said, not being able to quite hide his own grin.

“Oh nothing, other than a very funny Bambi on ice” she said with a playful smile earning a frisky wink combined with a small smirk in return.

“Instead of mocking me you could try helping me”.

“Sure, what are you looking for” she answered stepping closer.

“Cookies” he said with a satisfied look enrolling his features.

“You mean these?” she chuckled while reaching down into the cupboard he was just searching through.

 

She pulled out a plastic box filled with cookies and held it up to her friend’s face.

“Is this a joke?” he said throwing his arms in the air.

 

“May I ask why you and Archie, the most mainstream college boys living on pizza and PlayStation have organic fair-trade macadamia-white chocolate cookies from Whole Foods laying around?” she said, again with the playful smile painted on her lips.

“I’ll give you one guess”.

“Veronica” they both said at the same time, this time they both couldn’t help bursting into laughter.

“As much as I love my best friend and roommate, she can be so extra”.

“Tell me about it” he said and poured the cookies onto a plate, snatching one while doing so.

 

“So…” he trailed off, “should we watch a movie?”

“You bet”.

 

They both dumped down on the couch, Jughead carrying the cookies and Betty the tea, settling it down on the small coffee table in front of them.

Betty reached for the remote before leaning into the soft cushions of the couch.

 

Tilting her head back she didn’t notice Jughead covering her crossed legs with a soft grey blanket. He scooted closer to fit under the blanket too. Betty quickly decided that she didn’t mind.

 

“I’m feeling a good throw-back movie” he spoke without glancing at her.

“When are you not feeling a throw-back movie? I’m sorry Romeo, but you are not as mysterious and unreadable as you wish” she laughed.

Clutching his heart dramatically he replied “how dare you, no one is as mysterious as the loner weirdo. You would know all about that wouldn’t you, girl-next-door” again served with a smirk.

Betty flicked her tongue to try from cracking up, and instead just rolled her eyes.

 

They decided on watching “In Cold Blood”, Jughead’s favorite, and half way through the movie they had already eaten all the cookies, Jughead being the most guilty.

 

As the ending credits rolled over the screen, Betty suddenly jumped in shock.

The rainstorm had become worse and thunder and lightning was stirring up the bad weather.

“I don’t think that bus will ever show up in this weather” Jughead stated.

 

Betty knew. She had known since she agreed on going with him.

 

“I’m just gonna call my mom then” she said with a low voice turning towards the front door grabbing her bag.

She pulled out her phone to find 5 unanswered calls from none other than her mother.

_Here goes nothing_

 

She held the phone up to hear ear, listening to the loud beeping coming from the cellphone.

 

“Elizabeth, why haven’t you been answering my calls, do you have any ideas how worried I’ve been? You could have been dead or kidnapped by now.

I’m coming to get you, where are you?”

She sounded angry, and Betty knew this probably wasn’t gonna play out in her favor.

 

“I’m at Jughead’s and Archie’s apartment. There is a rainstorm so I won’t be able to catch the bus until tomorrow”.

“Elizabeth, you do know how I feel about you staying at a boy’s apartment. I’m getting the car and coming for you”

Betty rolled her eyes, sighed deeply and quickly replied “I’m fine. It’s Jughead, I’ve known him since I can remember. It’ll take too long for you to drive here anyway. I’m just gonna take the first bus tomorrow morning. Goodnight mother”.

And then she hung up.

 

_She is gonna kill me._

_Wait, did he even offer me to spend the night?_

_He hopefully doesn’t mind._

_A day’s break from Alice Cooper could never be bad thing._

 

 

The straight-A-student strolled back to the couch and once again fell back into the cushions.

 

“I just hung up on my mom” she muttered silently “she’s definitely going to kill me”.

She breathed a humorless laugh and looked at the boy next to her.

 

“Wanna watch another movie?” she let out with a subtle smirk.

“You got it Betts” he grinned and picked up the remote. “You up for a classic?”.

 

He turned on ‘The Breakfast Club’.

He was pretty sure they both needed a light laugh.

 

 

At the point in the movie where they all smoke marijuana and let down their barriers, the raven-haired boy felt more weight than usual on his shoulder.

He shot a glace down to find the one and only blonde princess fast asleep resting on his body.

 

His lips turned upward in a smile at the sight of her.

 

Her porcelain features contrasting his sun kissed ones.

 

Her long honey blonde waves framing her slightly flushed face.

 

Her long dark eyelashes sheltering her big emerald green eyes.

 

Her chest lifting every few seconds from her sleepy breath.

 

Her legs that seemed miles long entangled in the knitted grey blanket.

 

And her petite figure wrapped in his baggy attire.

 

In that moment, Jughead became sure of the fact that she was an angel.

 

“Dear Mr. Vernon: We accept the fact that we had to sacrifice a whole Saturday in detention for whatever it was we did wrong, but we think you’re crazy to make us write an essay telling you who we think we are.

You see us as you want to see us…

In the simplest terms and the most convenient definitions.

But what we found out is that each one of us is a brain… and an athlete… and a basket case… _a princess_ … _and a criminal_.”

 

The sound of the TV became distant, and slowly faded in his ears.

His head became heavy and leveled down onto hers.

His eyelids closed over his shining blue eyes as he drifted off to deep sleep.

 

“Does that answer your question?

Sincerely yours,

The Breakfast Club”.

**Author's Note:**

> I hope you liked it!  
> Please let me know if you did, it would mean the world to me<3  
> You can find me on Tumblr @dawn-to-dusk-already  
> xx


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